Apparatus for railway mail-delivery.



L. H. LLOYD. APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY MAIL DELIVERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAYH, I918.

DA .1 9 l 00 a 0 d 2 SHEETSSHE ET I.

1 N IMH L. H. LLOYD.

APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY MAIL DELWERY.

APPLICATION F|LED MAYH, 1918- r n L28L18U. Patented Got. 8, 918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

AZIHAL LEWIS HENRY LLOYD, 0F

BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY MAIL-DELIVERY. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEwIs HENRY LLOYD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bloomington, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forRailway Mail-Deliveries; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for railwaymail delivery, and has for an object to provide an exceedingly compactdevice adapted to be carried by mail cars in which the mail receivingand delivery parts are arranged beneath the car out of the way of themail clerks, and the operating mechanism for such parts is arranged totake up a minimum of space in the car. 7

It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus forrailway mail delivery which will be effective in transferring mail sacksto railway cars passing stations at high rates of speed, and at the sametime provide for the delivery of other mail sacks at. such stations.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of a railwaymail car and a portion of track, and showing an apparatus constructed inaccordance with my present invention.

a on the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig.2 1s a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken Fig. 4 is a similarview takenon the line 44 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of the car bottomand track: with the improved apparatus shown partly in elevation andpartly in section.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view through the track-and trough.

Fig. 7 isa fragmentary view of the trunk operating parts in oneposition; and

Fig. 8 shows the same parts in another position. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings, '1 designates generally arailway mail .car which is adapted to run on the track 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. s, 1918.

Application filed May 11, 1918. Serial No. 233,896.

At each station I provide a metallic or other trough 3, which I sinkbeneath the level of the ties and between the rails 2. This trough mayhave any suitable depth and is adapted to receive the mail bags 4:. -Theend walls 5 and 6 of the trough are made sloping, as shown in Fig. 1,for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The upper ends of the slopingwalls 5 and 6 may be continued in the form of platforms 7 and 8 restingon the tops of the ties in a position elevated over the trough 8, andsuch platgage beneath the mail sacks 4t and guide them into said trunk11. The trunk 11 is hinged, as indicated at 14: to a metal receiver 15with which its hinged end communicates. The receiver 15 is mountedbeneath the floor of the car and communicates with said car through atop opening which is closed by a door 16 having a handle 17 which may beopened to remove the mail sacks.

A band 18 goes about the free end of the trunk 11. such band beingformed with or connected to a tongue 19 to which is pivotally connectedthe bifurcated lower end of a rod 21. This rod 21 is adapted to occupy arecess 22 in the floor 23 of the car, as shown to better advantage inFig; 5, where such rod will be out of the way and will vated inoperativeposition.

more extensions 24having perforations 25 through which it is adapted toengage a catch 26 pivoted. as indicated at 27, in a second recess in thecar floor and normally catch to engage in the perforations 25 andprojected by a spring 28 so as to cause the V thereby lock the trunk inthe upper position. 7

lowered. The hand-hold 30 is provided on the end of the rod 21 forconvenience in operation.

There is also provided a mail delivery box 31. also mounted beneath thefioor 23 of the car and to the rear of the receiver 15 suchma-i-Ldelivery box- 31 being closed by a hinged door 32 having thehandle33iwhere-. by the door may be opened to admit the mailjsacks, asindicated in Fig. 5. This mail delivery box 31- is provided with aninclined drop'bott'om 31; toiwhich are attached the arcuate -rods 35,. 5the same havingsliding movement through openings in brackets 36 Vmounted-on the rear of said mail delivery box 31.

Coil. springs; 37 v are wound about the rods 35 and bear against.thebrackets36 in such a manner-that they tend to force the dropv bottom34: to the closed position shown in Fig-. 5 and to, yieldingly' holdsame in the closed position. At- 38 .is shown an extenarestina'longitudinal groove in the floor 23- of the car so as-tobeout ofthe way of the mail clerks.

A ring vor other handle 45 on the rod 4 L serves as a means whereby thesame may be operated;

The operation of the invention is; substantially as follows:

Mail to be-transferred to moving'trains is loaded into the sacks 4 andthese sacks, placed; in the troughs=3 at the-respective sta tions. Mailsacks to be delivered are placed in the :mail delivery box 31 on the carthrough" the door 32 thereof, and areheld therein until the properdestinationis reached: a V

Asthe car 1 approaches-ea station from whichjth'e mail sacks 4: are tobe. taken, and to which theLmail sacks in the mail delivery box 31 areto be delivered, a mail clerk in the-ecar-will first kick the projecti0n29l to release theJlatch-f26 which will "permit him to :raise'the rod-21 outof the*recess 23of= Y thearfioor to the vertical: position, afterwhichwhe will lower the free end of the trunkzll until theroller 12strikes: the in-.s clined end 10 on theiplatform 8. It'ispref-w erabl'ethat the clerk eXeItza slight downward? pressure. on therodi 21 tohold'thereceiving mouthriof said: trunk close againstthe plat-:

form and; rtroughx- As the car proceeds, the

ceiving end'of said trunk will come into con-1 ct ith-t e m l seeks adepositedsaid m y'be with rawa fr m-th r d to p rmit-*- l9 livery, thecombinationi of a trough ear-1 the parts again in =the inoperativeposi-,

tion'. r r I a I prefer tov provide toggle rodsA6=-and 47-: connectedtogether, as indicated- ;at 4:83, and the rod 46being pivoted,aslindicated. at19, to vg the car,,while the other-.rodi l'i'is.pivotedat 50 to the-trunk 11.- If desirableitwo of these toggle 'rods; may be;employed,-, one-at each side of the trough and when'iin the "lower; 7most position; where v the; trunk .is in -,.the trough 3, the. rodsjwill extend in alinement to thereby steady such free end of the troughand provide a support therefor, WhlChnWlll" take up most-oftheshockseand jarswthat-v would otherwise I devolve on the hinge a 14:.

As the car is receiving-themaigl sacks 4:, 1

- the-mail sacks in the del-iyerybox73l5may: be deposited in the trough;3 bytheroperation ofpulling upon: the chain orxcord-le: By-pull-. ingforwardly on this chainthe-bell crank os lever is rockedaon the pivot:42 and exertsa pull on the chainorflexibleaconnection 139,-

This=causes thedrop bottom .31-tobe opened-:

in oppositionto, the springs 37" and'allows I the mail sacksinthebOX-*3l; tO, drop out-into the-trough 3. Whenathe. chain ,orcord: 44:18released and HIllOWBd'tO ClI'OPubELCk:lIlllO-lbS groove 'intl16fi001,tli9 springs:3-7 will again come; into play and force-thebottom34i: closed. a Substantially the above--descnibed=..105 operationsare repeated :ateach station;

It is obviousthat those skilled in the art may vary the'details ofconstruction and 'arw rangements ofp'arts without :departingfrom thespirit of my.- invention; anditherefore 1-110 I do not wish to belimited to;s'uchn-featuresa except as'may beHrequiredbyQtheaclaims, Y

1. In an: apparatuss-for-railway mail dei 11B ranged r along vthe:roadwayy ia mailabag ire: ceiver carried by a mail car, a movabletrunkin communication with thezreceiven'andham ing 0116 end arranged' todip down intoi-thav v the trunk whereby tousupportz same, a rod pivotedto said tongue,.said rodbeingaarel ranged in: themailfcar-and adapted'tof extend substantially horizontallyv to I hold :the trunk 1125 Aroller 12 will easethe passage of-the trunk A i p I over the platform.,8and down the sloping" endzfi into the trough *3, where theopenree in theelevated -positiomwa :catch*pie7oted .;on

the car for engaging a part of said rodigto-a the latter to be raisedand the trunk to be lowered thereby, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for railway mail delivery, the combination of atrough extending along the roadway and having inclined ends, elevatedplatforms extending from said ends, a mail bag receiver carried by amail car, a trunk having a pivotal movement and in communication withthe receiver, a tongue connected to support the free end of said trunk,a rod pivoted to said tongue whereby the trunk may be held in theelevated position or lowered so as to enter said trough, a catch to holdsaid rod in the inoperative position where the trunk is raised, andbraces connected between the forward part of the trunk and the car tobrace the latter, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for railway mail delivery, the combination of atrough built in the roadway and having sloping ends, platforms extendingfrom the sloping ends and having downwardly bent extremities, a mail bagreceiver carried on a mail car and supported beneath the floor of suchcar, the upper part of the receiver being in communication with the carthrough the floor thereof,

a closure for the receiver, a trunk hinged to' said receiver and incommunication whereby to deliver the mail bags thereto, the lower end ofthe trough having a curved end adapted to dip down into the trough toreceive the mail bags deposited therein, a roller carried by the freeend of the trunk and arranged to come in contact with the floor of saidtrough, a band passing about the free end of said trunk, a tongueextending upwardly from said band, a rod having a bifurcated end pivotedto said tongue, the floor of the car having a recess for receiving saidrod when in the horizontal position, a perforated extension on said rod,a pivoted catch mounted on the car and adapted to &

engage the perforated extension to hold the rod horizontal and the trunkelevated, a projection on said catch for operating same, and a springfor holding the catch in the engaged position, substantially asdescribed.

l. In an a paratus for railway mail delivery, the com ination of atrough built in the roadway and having sloping ends, platforms extendingfrom the sloping ends and having downwardly bent extremities, a mail bagreceiver carried on a mail car and supported beneath the floor of suchcar, the upper part of the receiver being in communication with the carthrough the floor thereof, a closure for the receiver, a trunk hinged tosaid re; ceiver and in communication whereby to de liver the mail bagsthereto, the lower end of the trough having a curved end adapted to dipdown into the trough to receive the mail bags deposited therein, aroller carried by the free end of the trunk and arranged to come incontact with the floor of said trough, a band passing about the free endof said trunk, a tongue extending upwardly from said band, a rod havinga bifurcated end pivoted to said tongue, the floor of the car having arecess for receiving said rod when in the horizontal position, aperforated extension on said rod, a pivoted catch mounted on the car andadapted to engage the perforated extension to hold the rod horizontallyand the trunk elevated, a projection on said catch for operating same, aspring for holding the catch in the engaged position, and toggle rodspivoted centrally together and having their ends pivoted respectively tothe car and the free end of said trunk and adapted to brace the latterwhen in the lowered position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

LEWIS HENRY LLOYD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of I-atents, Washington, D. G.

